Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
  • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy
  • G11B20/00876—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy wherein physical copy protection means are attached to the medium, e.g. holograms, sensors, or additional semiconductor circuitry
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
  • G11B20/00086—Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy

Definitions

• the present patent application relates to an interactive system used to recognise original products and certify their original characteristics, based on the direct "dialogue” between final users and manufacturing companies.
• the system according to the present invention has been devised in order to solve a problem that has troubled a large number of manufacturers in the last few years, with particular reference to popular articles with famous trademarks and, more recently, to manufacturers of software, compact discs, CD-ROMs, videotapes and similar items.
• the purpose of the present invention is to realise a system capable of providing consumers with the capability of unequivocally ascertaining that the product they have purchased has been produced by the original manufacturer.
• the recognition system according to the present invention is based on a specific secret code given to each original article.
• the secret code is given by the original manufacturer, who maintains preferably computerised records showing the correspondence between products and codes.
• the secret code will physically accompany the product during its introduction on the market. However, during the distribution and the exhibition of the product in the store, the code will remain absolutely secret, since it is exclusively reserved to final consumers.
• the code is encrypted in such a way that after the first reading it will become visible, thus preventing it from being encoded again.
• the encryption of the secret code could be similar to the one used for instant lottery tickets (known as "scratch cards").
• the original product will be distributed together with a tag or label with the secret code covered with a layer of removable paint
• the secret code is printed on a sheet of paper contained in a sealed envelope.
• the purchaser receives the secret code after buying an original product. After that, he can contact the original manufacturer to check the originality of the product.
• the dialogue between the customer and the original manufacturer can make use of advanced technologies, as a toll-free number or an Internet site provided by the manufacturer.
• the customer can ask the manufacturer to confirm the correspondence between the product and its secret code.
• the manufacturer can immediately check the correspondence between product and code, thus providing an answer to the customer's enquiry.
• the computerised memory of the manufacturing company will certify the product authenticity only once. Upon an enquiry asking to confirm a previously certified code, the memory will also inform the consumer that the original product has already been sold. This will avoid “cheating" the identification system according to the present invention.
• users can enquire the manufacturer's computerised memory in the store, after purchasing and paying for the goods.
• counterfeiters cannot appropriate the secret code of a product purchased by others and use it for a counterfeited product.
• the enquiry made by the person who has purchased a counterfeited product - being the first enquiry made to the original manufacturer - would give a positive result, thus incorrectly confirming the originality of the purchased product.
• the purchaser If the purchaser is informed that the code of the product he has purchased is not the original code of the manufacturer, or if the code cannot be identified for the second time, the purchaser will clearly recognise the dealer as a dishonest seller who is trying to pass the counterfeited product off as original ones.
• the interactive system according to the present invention can also be used by the manufacturer to certify the characteristics of its products.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Credit Cards Or The Like (AREA)
• Forging (AREA)
• Holo Graphy (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11334364

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

• 1999
  • 1999-12-30 IT IT1999AN000049A patent/ITAN990049A1/it unknown
• 2000
  • 2000-12-29 EP EP00830863A patent/EP1113434A2/fr not_active Withdrawn

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